Jedi
by MsNomi
Summary: For ArgentSkye. StarWars XO. Summary:Earth was about to join the Republic, but there are dark influences at play. Will the Hardys be able to help the Jedi Master and his Padawan untangle the web of conspiracy before all is lost? Laura/Frank/Joe/Jinn/Obi
1. Prologue

Skye: Just take a quick read and let me know if you're interested in this story. Please read notes at end of chapter one and let me know. Thanks.

This would only be done after Supernatural XO and BTK.

* * *

**Jedi**

By Nomi

PROLOGUE

There in a hidden pocket of an old leather-bound journal was a piece of high quality paper, carefully folded. The edges were yellow with age, and the paper itself was becoming brittle. On it were four lines artfully penned in a calligraphy script; it was written so long ago the ink was faded:

_There is no emotion; there is peace._

_There is no ignorance; there is knowledge._

_There is no passion; there is serenity._

_There is no death; there is the Force._

Below that were more lines, added at a more recent date with a ballpoint pen:

_I feel emotions; and I still feel peace. I have knowledge; and yet I remain ignorant. I know passion; and I found serenity within. I have not been a Jedi for twenty years; and still the Force is with me. I can sense a disturbance in the Force; something's about to happen… May the Force be with us all._


	2. Chapter One

Skye: I think you know why I chose the date I did below. Noted its 2009, not 2008

I was clearing up my story inventory and trying to decide what to throw out. If this storyline does not appeal to you, let me know. Yes, this is a Saga - not something I'd want to start on unless there is real interest in it. Frank and Joe are 18 and 17 respectively. This stuff happened just before the blockade of Naboo - soon after this, Finis would be voted in as Supreme Chancellor. That would make Obi-Wan about 21 or 22. And please read below for background of this story. Story would continue all the way through Phantom Menance to Episode 3.

Summary: Earth was about to join the Galactic Senate, but there are dark influences at play. Will the Hardys be able to help the two Jedi Master and his Padawan untangle the web of conspiracy before all is lost?

* * *

**Jedi **

By Nomi

CHAPTER ONE

**Date: March 17, 2009 **

**Venue: United Nations Building, New York City **

There was excitement in the air.

It was a very special day for Earth. From noon of today, Earth would officially be a member of the Galactic Republic. The World Leaders, led by the President of the United States, would meet with the Representatives of the Galactic Republic Senate, led by the Vice Chair Finis Valorum, in the General Assembly Chamber, where they would sign the treaty.

The entire Turtle Bay where the United Nations Building stood, all the way up to Park Avenue and East 34th Street, were totally clear of the normal crowd. Every once in a while, a military jeep could be seen making its way up and down the various streets and avenues. They were on the lookout for any unauthorized persons from trying to sneak in. Their orders were simple: apprehend first, and ask questions later.

Beyond the cordoned area, huge crowds gathered before huge screens set up in various pockets of open-space such as Bryant Park so they could watch the momentous event on real time on screen. Further away in Chelsea Park, demonstrators gathered to protest what they considered to be a lost of sovereignty for Earth. If one were to disregard the messages each group were trying to broadcast, then it mattered not where one goes, since the atmosphere was almost equally festive from both ends.

Back in the United Nations Building, world leaders met and mingled with each other in the huge ballroom reserved for State Functions. The G7 leaders and the Secretary General of the United Nations were gathered in a much smaller and private conference room, having a last minute meeting to clear up any point of discontentment.

Back in the General Assembly Chamber, where the signing was to take place, the security officers were doing their final rounds of checks with metal detectors and dogs. On a temporary constructed viewers' gallery just above the General Assembly Chamber, the few selected audience waited impatiently for the ceremony to begin.

In another equally exclusive and private chamber, the Vice Chair of the Senate, Finis Valorum, was scanning the terms of the treaty for the last time and issuing some last minute instructions to his men, requesting them to respect the security efforts of their host despite the difference in technological capabilities. His two personal bodyguards stayed close, having been briefed by the local Chief of Security on the security measures that were in place. They were satisfied at the competency of the security chief, a local security expert by the name of Fenton Hardy.

And that was how Laura, Frank and Joe were able to get seats at the gallery overlooking the General Assembly Chamber to witness this historical event for Earth.

"Security sure is tight here. We had to go through three metal detectors and a number of body searches. But this is well worth the troubles. I can't believe it, after all these years, we finally have irrefutable proof that there is life out there," seventeen year old blond headed Joe said to his big brother. "See, I told you every cent I spent on all those UFO books and Sci-fi novels were well worth it!"

Frank, who was a year older, rolled his eyes. "I bet you read less than half of them. Anyway, security had to be tight because not everyone here is happy about us becoming a part of another empire."

"I bet not everyone on the other side would be happy about Earth joining in either," Laura said, and sit back to listen to her sons' opinion on the matter.

"Earth's entry to the Galactic Republic would be a very controversial move from both sides, since technically speaking, Earth is not a part of their galaxy. Given the way the Galactic Senate was organized, and the way votes were tabulated on galactic issues, Earth would end up with a disproportionate amount of power relative to our vote, given our population size and our level of technology," Frank commented.

Laura nodded in agreement. Frank was right, of course. The only reason how Earth was 'founded' in the first place was the result of the opening of a wormhole between Earth's galaxy and their galaxy. The wormhole was located close enough to Earth that it could be viewed using a standard high powered telescope that one could purchase from any Astronomy Hobby Shop. Frank and Joe had of course immediately emptied their bank accounts to grab one of the best they could afford; the elder to feed his personal interest in Astronomy, and the younger to feed his interest and beliefs in UFOs.

She remembered how both of them were practically glued to the net and to the TV for days, right after the first official Extra-terrestrial ship landed in the military air-base in Washington DC. And when Fenton told them he got this job…. Laura recalled the expressions on her sons face with a chuckle. They looked like they were two and three again, their face bright with wonderment and hope. And their father had delivered.

"I don't think it matters to some people here whether the Galactic Republic is part of this galaxy or not. There will always be some party that are resistant to the idea of becoming a tiny part of another system," Joe stated.

That was also true, Laura conceded. There would always be small-hearted narrow-minded people around. She turned her focus to the activities unfolding in the Chamber below her. The security officers were giving the area a final sweep before letting the Leaders in. And her husband, Fenton was down there followed by a tall distinguished man with long silvery hair dressed in long brown and white flowing robes.

"Look! That's Dad! And that's a Jedi with him!" Joe said excitedly, giving his dad a quick salute when Fenton happened to glance his way for the briefest second.

"I wondered where his Padawan is," Joe rattled on like a runaway train.

"How do you know he has a Padawan?" Frank asked.

"Yes he has a Padawan," Laura answered. "He's a Jedi Master. His name is Qui Gon Jinn, and his Padawan's name is Obi-wan Kenobi."

"You've been peeking at Dad's files!" Frank accused his Mom good naturedly.

Laura merely raised her brows and smiled.

"And there he is," she said, as a young man with reddish blonde hair and a little plait entered and stood next to his Master.

"Oh… I hope I can get to meet them later," Joe continued as if Frank and his mom never spoke. "I can't wait to try out my mastery of Galactic Basic with them! And maybe they might even let me try their lightsaber!"

Laura shook her head at Joe's childish excitement. In preparation for Earth's entry into the Galactic Republic, the United States government had authorized a special channel dedicated exclusively to teaching the history and the official language the Galactic Republic. Joe, who inherited her knack for languages, had easily picked up Basic, that official language. Frank on the other hand had immersed himself in the intricacies of history, culture, and politics.

Following an announcement, silence overtook the room. But the air around them shimmered with the latent excitement of what was about to conspire in that room.

The first of the Leaders entered with much prom and ceremony. Everyone in that room, all those who would be proud witnesses to that memorable momentous occasion held their breath as they waited for every leader to settle into their seat.

That was when Laura started to feel uneasy. She glanced a little uncomfortably about her, and noted that both her sons were fidgeting too. Joe looked especially nervous, his eyes flickering left and right at the crowd below them, then covered the entry ways one by one. Frank had already done the entry ways, and had returned his attention to the crowd. Her sons were good together, they complemented and back up each other perfectly. Laura also noted that both the Jedi Master and Padawan were also starting to move. For a moment, she almost stopped breathing as the Master's eyes paused on her. She forced herself to calmness, and soon those piercing eyes slid away to something else.

The Secretary-general of the United Nations was now at the signing table, and the Vice Chair of the Galactic Senate was about to join him when the Jedi Master moved.

"DOWN!" he yelled as he leapt across to the podium, igniting his lightsaber in a smooth motion, and deflected two potentially deadly laser bolt aimed at the two Leaders.

The laser bolts were followed by a several gun shots coming from the crowd below and also from the viewers' gallery, indicating that the assassins were both Earthlings as well as Aliens, who might or might not be working together. The deflected bolts smashed into the ceiling, and cement fragments came raining down onto the occupants on the gallery.

Chaos reigned as the security people worked desperately to move the World Leaders and Senate Representatives out of the General Assembly, as everyone else were also trying to fight their way out in terror. There would be more casualties from the mad rush than from bullets or laser wounds.

Then Laura gasped in horror as a number of the occupants on the gallery shook off their clothings to reveal themselves as droids, and started firing into the crowd, and one of them was firing straight at Joe.

Frank reacted instantly, shoving both his younger brother as well as his mother onto the ground and out of the deadly path of those deadly bolts. Screams pain and the smell of burning flesh told the elder Hardy that someone else behind them was hit. He winced, but could not make himself regret his actions. He would always put his family's safety first. And how the heck did those metallic droids make their way through the metal detectors in the first place?

A shadow loomed over all three of them, and Frank gulped. There was no way they were going to get out of this one, he knew. He only hoped his father would not be overly devastated by their demise.

A flash of blue swept pass his eyes, and the droid went down with a sizzle.

"Come on, hurry, move!" Obi-Wan growled at the three Hardys.

The Padawan continued to deflect the incoming bolts from the droids as the Hardys worked to direct the remaining surviving occupants off the gallery. Frank and Joe tried to get their mom to leave with the others, but she refused.

"Go… go!" Obi-Wan yelled as he used a force-shove to push all three of them through the doorway.

Obi-Wan swiftly followed and slammed the door shut behind him.

"RUN!" the Padawan screamed.

The four of them ran down the corridor. A second later, the door behind them burst opened, and the droids followed. They heard screams ahead and watched horrified as a group of gunmen started to shoot point blank at the escaping viewers with semi-automatics and Uzis.

"Here!" Laura pulled at her sons' arms as she gestured to them the corridor just to their left.

The four of them turned and head down the only available path to them as one. There was nothing they could do for the unfortunate crowd facing the Uzis. They ran smack into another group of security officers and their charges trying to make their way out, and both groups had to retreat even further back into the building. No, they were being herded back into the General Assembly Chamber.

Frank and Joe exchanged worried glances. They had a very bad feeling that whoever planned this had intended maximum casualty, and possibly the death of all the leaders gathered here. And while both brothers were crack shots, they had no guns on them at the moment. Not that those guns would be of any use against the droids, but at least they could have helped with the humans part of the fight.

Soon, they were all back in the General Assembly Chamber, up on the raised platform and trying their best to seek shelter from the tables and chairs and podium. Laser bolts and bullets rained down on them from the gallery, as well as from the ground.

Then, a third group was driven towards them from a side door.

"Frank!" Joe suddenly hissed. "That's the Vice Chair! And the Jedi Master! And Dad too!"

And Frank knew they were in deep shit. They had the Galactic Republic Vice Chair, the President of the United States, and the Prime Minister of United Kingdom with them. And they were cornered, trapped at the bottom of a pit with deadly bullets and bolts raining down on them.

The two Jedis pushed to the fore and stood before the other security officers, their light saber swinging rapidly in wide graceful arcs to and fro, deflecting incoming laser bolts and vaporizing bullets. But Frank and Joe could both see that they would not be able to hold forever. There were just too many incoming bolts and bullets to deflect. Sooner or later, a lucky shot would find its way through here and there, and they, being trapped in the corner would be picked off one by one.

"Frank, Joe, I need a distraction. There is a little known passage from the southwest corner. If we can clear a path there somehow, we can get out!" Fenton managed to crawl through the crossfire over to his family.

Frank and Joe nodded, glad that their father trusted them enough to let them help out. Frank, who was closer, reached out for the gun that his dad was trying to pass to him.

"Laura, stay close and stay down!" Fenton hissed when he noted that his wife was slowly inching towards an injured security officer. Laura might be a skilled medical personnel, but this was not the time to be compassionate.

A burst of laser bolts from a new batch of droids smashed through Obi-Wan's defenses, and the lightsaber went flying into the air. The Padawan was hit – the force from the hit sent the young man crashing back into the chair. Joe quickly reached out and dragged that semi-conscious youth to safety behind the table he and Frank were crouching under. Without the young Jedi providing cover, a number of security officers went down, hit by the deadly bolts.

"Shit!" Frank heard his father cursed. But it was his mom that had his full attention at the moment. The three Hardy men watched in shock as Laura kicked off her heels, leapt gracefully onto the table, her fingers outstretched. The lightsaber flew into her hand, ignited, and soon she was deflecting those deadly bolts, the blue blade swirling and her eyes flashing with grim determination.

"Jinn! We need to clear a path southwest!" Laura's voice was confident and authoritative.

Fenton noted from his wife's tone that Laura seemed to know the Jedi Master personally. But that was impossible, right?

The Jedi Master paused in shock for the tiniest fraction of a second before continuing his task of deflecting the bolts.

"**_Tahl?!_**"

* * *

Tahl in the Star Wars verse was Qui Gonn Jinn's love interest, but they pushed back their love for the Jedi cause. In that universe, Tahl was killed after being drugged and captured by Balog. Jinn was depressed after that. For the purpose of my story, the Balog incident never happened. This is AU for Tahl - she did not die but ended up on earth and that story would be told here - but will keep the forbidden romance bit. Okay, I think that's it. 

The second bit: Just want to ask, would you like Frank to have midichlorins in his blood or not?


	3. Chapter Two

Franknjoe: I must confess the image of Joe being like Coraan had me in stitches... I'm still not sure about this saga, the person I was going to write it for have not responded yet But yeah, I'm a Star Wars fan. If I were to write this, I would start again ... adding more details and the political background - like I did to Chapter one... And, I'm afraid Laura feature rather strongly here... this is not exactly a Frank and Joe only story...

Falke: Yes, Tahl was blinded in the JA series Media Daan. Died at Balog's hands. My AU for Tahl assumed she was never there for the JA series. It followed the original where Jinn and Tahl met at 8, became best friends, then diverged from there, assuming they had some missions together and fell in love, only to decide to put the Jedi code first...

* * *

**Jedi**

By Nomi

CHAPTER TWO

**Noon, General Assembly Chamber**

_"Tahl?!"_

Jedi Master Qui Gon Jinn was stunned to see Knight Tahl standing on the table where his Padawan stood. Tahl… his best friend since he was eight… They were knighted together, and for a moment considered a possible romantic relationship. But they finally decided to put aside their mutual attraction and continue serving the Jedi cause. Then on a solo mission almost twenty years ago, Tahl vanished. How the force did she ended up here? Jinn wondered. But enough of that, he would find out from her later what happened. Now, he had to get the Vice Chair and preferably the Earth Leaders out of here alive.

"Southwest corner, Jinn," Tahl repeated. "We need to get over there."

There must be a hidden exit there, Jinn concluded. And she's waiting for me to take the lead. That was when Jinn noted that Tahl's movements were a little awkward, as if she's out of practice. He realized whatever he wanted to do, he had better decide quickly. Tahl at her current shape would not be able to hold for long.

"Collapse the gallery," he said decisively his eyes flicking for the merest fraction of a second at the two giant pillars supporting that temporary construct, and the bulk of the droids underneath that structure. "But that means that we would not be able to provide cover…"

"Do it!" It was a firm and sure response from the Chief of Security. "We'll hold somehow."

Fenton was surprised that he was able to think clearly, given the shocking revelation from what he just witnessed. Laura a Jedi? And he never knew? And it seemed the Jedi Master knew her intimately too. The way Qui Gon Jinn looked at her, and the way the two of them covered instinctively for each other, the blue and green blades weaving effortlessly and flawlessly before them in tandem. But whatever questions he had could wait. First they had to get out of here alive.

"Careful, Laura," Fenton called out before sticking his hand out to fire a shot at the few human assassins left in the chamber. He had given up on the droids, letting the Jedi handle them. He noted with pride that his elder son, Frank, had that bit figured out too, and was aiming for the human gunmen. Joe was reasonably safe behind his brother, trying to staunch flow of blood from the injured Jedi.

_Laura?_ Jinn spared another glance at the Chief of Security. There was something between the two of them, he could sense that now. Did Tahl choose to abandon the Jedi Code for that man? He could not help but wonder. Then he forcefully pushed those wayward thought aside, focusing on the immediate problem. Jinn threw Tahl a worried look. Would she be able to manage the counter strike with proper force and precision?

Laura Hardy knew what the Jedi Master was thinking. How could she not? They were best friends for over a decade; they worked together on several missions with their Masters as Padawans, and were knighted at about the same time. But, Knight Tahl was gone. She was gone for twenty years now… and in her place was a medical professional working her shifts at the local A & E. Yet, here she was, wielding the lightsaber she thought she'd never see again much less use, fighting side by side with a fellow Jedi. Not just any Jedi – Qui Gon Jinn. Of the ten thousand active Knights and Masters currently in service to the Temple, it had to be Jinn who was sent to play bodyguard to the Vice Chair, Laura sighed. Yoda would say: The Force works in mysterious ways. No, Yoda would say: In mysterious ways, the Force works. Bah! Yoda's twenty years too far away at the moment.

And Jinn was right, she was rusty. She fought, and when she could, direct the deflected laser bolts back onto the droids themselves. Those were rare hits for her now, whereas twenty years ago, it would have been a very different story. So she left Jinn to do the paring down the numbers bit, and simply focus on helping shield the people who were dependent on her at the moment. Like her husband and children. She could sense her husband's and children's shock and curiosity. She smiled as she noted they had not let the shock sent them into inaction. Frank and Joe were their father's sons after all, two chips off the old block. They kept their cool and helped where they could.

Joe's expression of wonderment at her actions softened the grim smile on her lips as she sent another bolt successfully into yet another droid. And she could sense Joe going '_woohoo! What a great hit, mom!'_ She sneaked a peek at her golden headed boy and saw him giving her a thumbs-up. His simple acceptance in who she was and his unquestioning faith in her ability to do whatever must be done next was a big booster to her confidence.

Laura took her time, calmly assessing the battlefield before her, taking in the positions of the droids, and that of the two key support pillars She shifted her stance just a tiny bit, sent two more deflected bolts into the ranks of the droids, turned to Jinn, gave him a most devilish grin and said: "Ready when you are, o' lord and master!"

That line told Jinn more than anything that Tahl's confident of completing the task. He chuckled at the memory of Tahl's fond habit of mimicking his own rather aloof and snobbish Master – Count Dooku. It was Tahl who always reminded him to just master the skills, and leave those cold aristocratic mannerisms to the 'old Lord Count'. He caught her eyes for the briefest moment, gave a curt nod.

"At the count of three," Jinn growled – for the benefit of the people he was shielding so they could be prepared to take cover, and also to make that run for the southwest corner.

Then together, as if they had never been apart, Jinn and Laura deflected the next dozen bolts together, their movements smooth and well synchronized, clearing a partial path to the pillars. Then Jinn leapt off the table, heading swiftly towards the further pillar.

Laura followed for a short distance, taking advantage of path Jinn carved out for her. Then she broke off and head towards her pillar. Her blue blade buzzed and flashed, cutting through the droids as if they were made of Styrofoam. She twirled round every other step to deflect the bolts being aimed at her back. She relaxed and let the Force guide her, and each swirl brought her ever closer to her target. Finally, she got the signal from Jinn. Laura took off at a run, jump onto a broken table, dodged a couple dozen bolts, used the table to propel her even higher, both her hands gripping the lightsaber tightly and firmly, raise high above her head. A second later, the buzzing blade cut into metal, slicing cleanly through.

The entire viewers gallery shook and slowly began its tortured descend towards the Chamber floor. It gained speed and momentum, and landed with a resounding crash, crushing most of the droids beneath it, and also blocking most of the entryways, preventing more droids and assassins from entering.

Fenton thought his heart was going to give out when he saw the entire viewers' gallery crashing and that Laura was underneath it. But somehow, she managed to make that ten feet leap from the pillar and landed just outside of the danger zone. He could see the Jedi Master, Jinn, appearing out of the dusty mess, making his way towards them cutting down a number of droids along the way.

His men were already slowly escorting the leaders towards the corner with the hidden door. It was a difficult task to say the least. The might be much less firepower coming at them now, but they were also moving away from their covers. Fenton knew a number of those men would die in the next few minutes, and their bodies would be used by their comrades as body shields. It was their job, but Fenton still felt sad for those men. Like him, they had wives and kids… He turned his attention to his sons, and hoped fervently that he could get them out of this alive. He hoped they would forgive him for putting the still surviving leaders' lives above theirs today. He had no choice this time, there were just too much at stake. That was why Frank and Joe were among the last carrying the injured Jedi between them. May Laura forgive him should anything happen to his sons.

"Dad, we have to get those leaders out of here alive," Frank suddenly said to him. "Otherwise we'll be facing a political disaster of galactic magnitude."

Frank was glad to some of the guilt left his Dad's face. He knew what his dad would be thinking; but he also knew they had no choice. In the current situation, only three lives mattered: The President, The Prime Minister, and the Vice Chair. The rest of them were expendable. Simple as that...

He returned his attention to Joe, and between them, helped to carry the young Jedi towards the southwest corner of the Chamber. It seemed the Jedi's starting to recover his senses. That was good – it would make escaping a little easier. Suddenly, the Jedi moved and gripped his arm in a painfully tight grip. He opened his mouth, but only the softest rattle came out of it. Frank leaned closer to listen…

"Get them back… get them back…now… NOW!" the young Jedi gritted out.

What the heck was he talking about? Frank wondered. They had to get out and there was a hidden exit there!

But Joe did not hesitate.

"Back off," Joe yelled. "NOW."

That was followed by two other shouts from Laura and Jinn.

The entire group up front froze, and just on time too. A large chunk of the ceiling had broken off and started its downward fall. It landed right on top of the hidden passage way, and killed two security officers who were too slow in getting away…

Fenton cursed.

While the collapsing gallery had taken most of the droids with it and closed down almost all the entry ways, the number of assassins still outnumbered them almost two to one. And Fenton could see that their enemy was already working to break down a number of the blocked doorways. He kept his expression passive as he directed his remaining men to construct makeshift shelters, and then to work on trying to clear the hidden passage way.

Both Frank and Joe were trying to get the young Jedi to stop moving so that he would not aggravate his wound any further. But the young man just refused their ministrations.

"Master Jinn can easily move that piece of rock… if someone else can take over the defense," Obi Wan panted out. "Help me! That black pouch around my waist!"

Joe carefully removed the pouch and opened it. There was something soft and squishy in it. He passed it over to the Jedi, who took it with his uninjured arm and started applying it straight onto his wound.

"It's Bacta," Obi Wan said. "Helps with the healing…"

Obi Wan focused his mind and tried to do some minor force-healing. But his injuries were just too severe. He still have problem standing steady… _Master, I can't take over_, he told his master via the Master-Padawan training bond. _And that chunk of rock's too big and heavy for me to lift alone…_

"Stang! Sithpit!" Jinn spat out and went through another successive list of swear words in multiple languages.

Laura's heart sank as she realized what that meant. Unlike the podium area, where there were at least some forms of natural shelter from the firepower, here in the southwest corner, they were sitting ducks. Someone had to take over so Jinn could work on that debris blocking their escape route…

Her eyes landed on her sons… why not? It suddenly occurred to her. And it's only for a few minutes…

"Joe! Get over here!" Easier for the one who just jump into action without asking too many questions – no time for user manuals at this point in time.

Jinn sent her a curious glance as a blond headed boy started to make his way towards them.

"My son, Joe. Joe, Jinn," Laura introduced rather candidly, given the severity of the situation they were in. "Jinn, Joe –"

Jinn scrutinized the lad for a moment. Tahl expected him to hand over his lightsaber to that boy? Totally untrained boy?! By the Force, was he even force-sensitive?!

"-and the best batsman on the school baseball team. My older son's a great pitcher, and they practiced well together." Laura continued, knowing humors the only way to get through to Jinn now. That man's a maverick, surely he could see now is the time to break some rules? He broke plenty on his own as far as she knew and remembered.

"Hey son… care to bat a few balls with mom?" She asked Joe and was glad to see those blue orbs sparkling with excitement.

Two simultaneous explosions, and a new batch of droids pouring in from two previously blocked doorways convinced Jinn to just trust in Tahl… and the Force too, Jinn added as an afterthought.

Joe was almost trembling with excitement – he was about to get his hands on one of those sabers! And he's going to be using it to pretend he's playing baseball! The whole idea tickled him immensely. His poor dad and brother did not look too amused, sadly for them. Neither did the Jedi Master before him, it seemed. Joe gulped and swallowed his nervousness as the man's eyes set on him.

"This is not a game!" The Jedi Master snapped before handing over his saber most reluctantly.

Oooh, the saber's so light, almost weightless… Joe thought, as he took his stance and prepared to bat his first bolt. He caught it squarely with the luminous green blade, but was totally unprepared for the force behind that blast. It took him off balance, and the deflected bolt went wild, hitting the ceiling right above them, sending more shards of cement raining down on them.

"Careful!" Master Jinn snapped again at him, and then relented after a fierce glare from Tahl, and killing looks from a dark haired teen and the Chief of Security. "That's okay for your first try…" he added most reluctantly.

"Good one!" The other young Jedi called out. "Just keep on at it!"

"Very good, Joe. Just relaxed and let your gut instinct tells you where to hit next…" his mom told him encouragingly.

"Great hit, Joe," Frank shouted out. "Try for the droids next time? Those were just fast balls, easy, bro…"

Joe smiled. Frank knew just the thing to say to spur him on. He did just that, batting the bolts back from whence it came from. He even managed to hit down some droids on the way.

Master Jinn turned his attention to the huge chunk of rock lying right across their escape path and started to focus on it. Slowly, he force-lifted it and moved it away. He could feel his padawan helping him lift up that thing… and together, the master and padawan team threw the rock into the approaching droids.

"Out! Now! Hurry!" Jinn shouted at the others, as he retrieved his weapon from the boy. He felt better once that deadly weapon was back in his hands.

He and Tahl played rear guard as the others made their way out using the secret passage way. After everyone left, they jumped down the narrow steps and followed. Halfway through the tunnel, Jinn turned around and slashed repeatedly at the ceiling until it collapsed, trapping their pursuers on the other side. Then he turned and raced after the others.

And soon, he would have the answers he needed from Tahl.

Further down the tunnel, Fenton was thinking similar thoughts. Soon, he would have the answers he needed from Laura.


	4. Chapter Three

Here's the next chapter. And the only chapter going back to the past - next chapter onwards will be continuing from the action of chapter two, and after settling some 'family issues' onto the case of the killers and finding the plot-masters. Always wanted a Laura story.

Skye: OK - both Frank and Joe will have midichlorins, and about the same level. Personally, I do not like the idea of them being too far apart in skills and the like... just different. Laura's still the focal.

Franknjoe: will be writing the full saga. Just have to spend some time getting all the dates in order - you know how detailed the star wars verse gets. This piece will end somewhere before 'A New Hope' (Epi 4). So feel free to comment anytime if things look out of place - you might actually catch a blooper or two Regarding the force manifesting in Joe as baseball talents' not quite correct - the reason why Laura picked on it is because it was an appropriate analogy to use that her sons could understand and that was why Frank was not 'jealous' - because the situation demanded a batsman, not a pitcher, so he might be a little envious, but not jealous, because Frank knew his mom would have picked him if the situation requires a pitcher. There would be other examples as the story progress. Does that make sense? I guess I was playing with the idea of a 'mother's wisdom' versus 'Yoda-wisdom' for later on in this story. The characters of Fenton and Jinn will unfold and mature with the story, as will Frank's Joe's and Obi's.

Enough of chatting - enjoy

* * *

**Jedi**

By Nomi

CHAPTER THREE

**Twenty-two years earlier, Coruscant**

Twenty-three year old Knight Tahl stood at the windows of her room high up in the Jedi Temple, her vivid blue eyes gazing down at the multitude of lights flickering from the old city below, her long blonde hair swaying gently in the night breeze. While the expression on her face showed a certain degree of serenity, the way her fingers kept rolling and unrolling the corner of her Jedi robes said otherwise. She was nervous.

Tonight was a turning point in her life, she knew. All her life she wanted to be Jedi. She remembered how desperate she was as a youngling waiting hopefully to be chosen as a Padawan. How joyous and relieved she felt when she was finally taken in by a Jedi Master. She recalled the excitement of her first off-world mission with her Master, and the sense of pride when she was finally knighted last year. But now, it shook her to realize she would willingly give up her dream for…

There was a knock on the door.

"Come in," she invited.

Soon, a pair of arms wrapped around her, and a rough chin rested lightly on her head. She leaned back willingly into his warm embrace. Too quickly, those strong arms were gone, and she sighed.

"I've given our situation serious thought, Tahl," Knight Qui Gon Jinn said to her after a long pause.

Tahl felt a tiny hitch in her heart.

"I really cared for you, Tahl." Jinn said quietly. "But we've always wanted to be Jedi. We've talked about how important that dream is to both of us, and how much good we could do for the world out there."

Tahl fought to keep her expression impassive and her emotions serene as she tried to catch a glimpse of Jinn's eyes, but it was hidden in the shadows of the night. She nodded her agreement instead, and threw all her strength into projecting an equally calm and serene exterior for all that could see to see.

"When we accepted our knighthood, we took the oath to abide by the Code. And I…" Jinn continued.

"I understand," Tahl heard enough. "We should not be breaking the Jedi Code. It could lead us to the dark side."

Would it? Tahl wondered, not for the first time.

"Yes." Jinn agreed. "That's why we cannot continue with our relationship. I still care for you deeply Tahl. I just cannot let myself love you because…"

"One cannot be Jedi and love…" Tahl finished off the sentence for her beloved and best friend.

Jinn nodded a little sadly. "And we've always wanted to be Jedi… and given the amount of discord in the galaxy at the moment, they need us..."

_Can't we change, Jinn? Can't we be ordinary people and still do good deeds for the world?_ Tahl wanted to ask. But she kept her thoughts to herself. It was clear that Jinn really wanted to remain a Jedi, and it would not be fair to ask him to give it all up for her. He might not love him enough to… but she did.

"Tahl… that's what you wanted, right?" Jinn asked.

"Yes… that's what I want." Knight Tahl replied firmly, even though her heart was breaking.

Jinn nodded and then left. Just like that.

After the door closed, Tahl turned back to the flickering city lights, and there she stood the entire night. She let the tears flow and washed away a part of her pain. Soon, the dark turned to light and Knight Tahl began to pack and dressed for an undercover mission. She would tell the Council that she decided to accept that mission and understood the risks involved. She was after all, one of the top graduates of her batch, and it was only natural that the Council turned to her for that particular mission to uncover the mysterious head behind the spice trade on the Outer Rim. And all the better, by nightfall, she would be far away from the Jedi Temple, far away from all those happy childhood memories, and far away from the hurtful ones too.

Two months later, she was on the run in her Corellian fighter-craft, being chased by a number of enemy ships. Her cover was blown while she was trying desperately to download a secret list from the system which she hacked into after a month of careful observation. At least she got the list, Knight Tahl told herself as she pushed her craft to its limits, trying desperately to evade all those deadly lasers being sent her way.

Suddenly, something appeared before her, pulling her towards it. It was an unusual space anomaly, the likes of which she had never seen before. She tried bank a sharp left in hopes of evading its pull, but she failed. Her craft spun crazily out of control and was sucked into that yawning hole. Nausea filled her, and soon, she was out.

When she awakened, she found herself in an unknown section of space. On the screen before her was a beautiful blue planet. She had no idea what it was called, but her on board computer told her it was the only livable planet within her reach, and there was life on that planet. Seeing no other options opened to her, she steered her craft towards it.

Unfortunately, the damage sustained by her craft was worse than she thought. And she crash-landed… in the ocean. It was a miracle that she managed to break out of her sinking craft and swam her way to the surface in the midst of a storm. Alone out there in the roiling waves, she was good as dead. Except a tiny part of her refused to give up… She was Jedi. So she turned inwards and let the force guide her as to which direction to swim. She swam and she swam until finally she could move no more… and…

"Stop! There's someone in the water!"

That was the last thing she heard.

She woke up in a lovely home on the waterfront, and she found out later that the beautiful sea it overlooked was the Great South Bay. The old couple that saved her took her in when they realized that she had no home to go back to and that she lost her memory. The husband who was a lawyer, pulled some connections, and managed to procure for her a temporary social security number.

Later, when they found out that she had an affinity towards healing, they even saw her through a paramedic course. She became the daughter they never had, and eventually she took their name and became Laura Rotham. At times, she wished she could tell them that she was sorry for lying to them, and then tell them who she was. That never happened. The next year, they were killed in a boating accident. She was left to live with her little lie, with no way to atone for it.

After that she started work as a paramedic with New York City Hospital A&E department. It was a hard and unrewarding job, dealing with the less fortunate of the city's population, but she loved it. Soon, she was spending her spare time at the local drug rehabitation centre, helping those youths who wanted to get off drugs move on with their lives. She lived alone in a small studio apartment - that was all she could afford in that costly city. Her life revolved around work and social work. Many of her male colleagues tried to come onto her, but she was not interested. She was contented with her life as it was.

And one day, everything changed.

She was walking home from the drug rehabitation centre, when a bunch of goons took her by surprise and shove her into an isolated and dark alleyway. She muttered a curse under her breath for being distracted and allowing herself to be caught in such a situation. She scanned her surroundings, taking note of all possible escape routes that she could use. There were only five of them, young, high, and looking for a victim to rape and terrorized. But before she could carry out her plan, a voice took all their attention.

"I suggest you stepped back and leave the young lady alone."

Laura lifted her eyes and saw this tall dark hair young man standing alone glaring at the five teenage goons. She could feel fear well hidden under the calm and mildly threatening exterior. Yes, that man was afraid because he was outnumbered, but that did not prevent him from trying to do the right thing. It was all in all a very 'Jedi' thing, Laura decided, and felt the first hint of respect for that earthling.

Then the first of the goon attacked, a butterfly knife held firmly in his hand. That tall man easily sidestepped the blade, and shoved the first goon straight into the path of the second incoming one.

"Run! Lady, Run!" He yelled at her. "And don't look back…"

He wanted her out of the way before he loses his element of surprise totally, Laura noted. Already, she could see that he was already losing. She could not blame him, five was just three too many in any fair fight. She sent a little force shove and lightly tripped one of the goons that was about to surprise her savior from the back. The tall man did not waste that opportunity, giving the tripped goon a quick kick in the guts to make sure he stayed down before turning the face his remaining opponents. And Laura made sure that the goons kept on having more than their share of bad luck for the next thirty seconds when…

"Young lady… RUN! Please!" That tall man spat out through bleeding lips, as he turned and landed yet another punch on another goon.

But it was a lucky hit from one of the remaining three goons still standing that finally moved Laura into acting. She ran towards the entryway to the alley and started screaming for help. Then a second later, she was back, her handbag swinging and landing a perfect hit on a goon's temple.

"Two police officers coming!" she panted out as she continued swinging her handbag crazily like a maniac. "Saw them… end of the street… they'll be here in a minute or so… just hang on, sir… and don't let them get away!" Then she sent a wave of force-fear through those goons – and was not surprised when they turned tail and ran, terror in their hearts.

"There aren't any police men out there, are there?" The tall man finally asked after a few minutes.

"No…" Laura admitted.

"Good thinking," he said. "Are you all right?"

"Yes," Laura answered a little breathlessly. Somehow, that's man's proximity caused her heart to race.

"You're hurt… let me help…" She said as she reached for her pack of wet ones and tried to clean off some of the blood.

"I'm okay," he said. "But we better get onto the main road before those punks decide to come back…"

Laura nodded and they made their way towards the main road. There, they stood and stared at each other for a while.

"I think I better see you home… you know… just in case those punks…"

Laura nodded shyly. She never felt shy before in her life.

So they walked together towards her apartment. Soon, they were at the door.

"Would you like to come up?" She asked before realizing that some men might not like women who are too forward and direct. "I mean, you were hurt because of me and I should… I mean, I'm a paramedic and I can help… I mean… would you like to come up for a coffee so I can thank you for saving me just now?" Laura finished lamely her face flushed a bright red.

"I would love to…" the man said. "My name's Fenton, by the way."

"Laura," she said, and let Fenton into her life.

They dated.

And Fenton was always there to walk her home from the drug rehab centre every Wednesday and Thursday. She found out that he was a homicide detective with NYPD, and she told him of her work as a paramedic, and how she was saving up to go to medical school. He was very supportive. A year later, when he proposed, she accepted. She was twenty-six and that was the happiest day of her life – even more so than the day she was chosen as a Padawan.

They had a simple wedding at a tiny church, and no honeymoon. All their resources went towards a tiny one bedroom apartment in the city. A year later, they had a son, whom they named Frank after Fenton's grandfather. The next year, they had another son, and this time, they called him Joseph, in memory of Joseph Rotham, her foster father.

Then came the summer when her little Joey was kidnapped by one of Fenton's enemies. And she was there, watching helplessly as the kidnapper stood holding her beloved son a knife held right across his throat, while she held on tight to Frank. She sent soothing waves across to Joey, willing him to stay calm. She tried to reach the kidnapper, but could not penetrate through that wall of fury. For the first time, she saw the dangers connected to Fenton's life as an officer of the law, and understood the benefits of celibacy that the Jedi Code advocated. So she stood there and hoped and prayed that Fenton would come up with something and somehow get Joey back safely to her.

He did – but they had their first big fight.

Finally, Fenton returned to her with a solution. He had a friend who was also tired of manhandling petty criminals on drugs on a daily basis and thought the two of them could try their hand on being private investigators working on white collar crimes rather than dealing with the goons on the streets. They moved out of New York City, and into a smaller safer neighborhood on a quiet corner of Barmet Bay called Bayport, just a little over an hour drive from New York City itself on the freeway.

Laura was touched that Fenton was willing to consider alternatives, and take up boring insurance fraud cases for the sake of family.

Her love and respect for him deepened after that day.

Of course, Fenton being Fenton, attracted the big bad guys wherever he goes or whatever he does, and eventually, the boys grew up to become rather good sleuths themselves. But what mattered to Laura was, they argued, they talked, they discussed, and they compromised. There was no either or, or black and white. Only shades of grey. She had love, she had passion, and she had serenity. She had them all and she was contented.


End file.
